Method of making an electrical connector



Feb. 3, 1970 c. BQHAEGERT 3,493,o34

METHOD OF MAKING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 6. 1968 INVENTORChWe/Me i/qgemi ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,493,034 METHOD OFMAKING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Clarence B. Haegert, P.O. Box 318,Coifeyville, Kans. 67337 Filed Mar. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 710,829 Int. Cl.B22d 23/00 US. Cl. 164-47 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electrical connectorsof various types. Electrical connectors of this type including means forsecuring an electrical member thereto have in the past been generallyformed of a brass-lead alloy or a copper alloy. Such prior artconnectors are relatively expensive and are subject to excessivecorrosion. This excessive cost arises due to the materials employed inthe connectors as well as the method of making the connectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an electricalconnector wherein the body means thereof is formed of a zinc base alloy.The utilization of the zinc base alloy of the present inventionsubstantially reduces the cost of the connector since the materialsinvolved are cheaper, and furthermore the connector can be readilymanufactured.

In the present invention, the method includes the step of sandcasting ordie casting the electrical connector, and this provides a most practicaland economical manner of manufacturing an electrical connector of thistype.

Also, surprisingly enough, it has been found that electrical connectorsmade of such a zinc base alloy according to the present invention havebetter electrical conductivity than prior art connectors made of a brasslead alloy or a copper alloy, and also exhibit good tensile strength.Additionally, the connector of the present invention has very goodresistance to corrosion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top perspective viewillustrating a first form of electrical connector according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view illustrating a second form ofelectrical connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a further electrical connectoraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of still another elec trical connectoraccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a top perspective exploded view of the structure illustratedin FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawingswherein like reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, a first form of electrical connector isillus- 3,493,034 Patented Feb. 3, 197( trated in FIG. 1 wherein theconnector is indicated gen erally by reference numeral 12.

This connector includes a body means 14 having a1 integral hollowcylindrical portion 16 for receiving 21 electrical cable or the like.The body means also include a pair of spaced integral leg portions 18and 20 having a tapered bore 24 defined therein for receiving a batter1terminal whereby the device is adapted to operate as 1 conventionalbattery terminal connector.

A bolt 30 extends through aligned holes provided it the outer ends ofarms 18 and 20, the bolt 30 having ar enlarged head portion 32 receivedwithin a cutout 3: provided in leg portion 20 of the body means. A nut3! is threaded on the far end of the bolt as seen in FIG. 1 for clampingthe connector on a battery terminal.

A small screw 40 is adapted to be threaded into 2 tapped hole providedin enlarged head 32 for securing 2 lug 42 to the connector. This lug hasa suitable hole provided therein for receiving the threaded shankportion of screw 40. The end portion 44 of lug 42 is 110110 forreceiving a suitable electrical member which is crimped thereto.

A threaded stud 50 extends upwardly from portior 16 of the connector andhas a tapped hole formed therein for receiving a small screw 52 which isemployed fol holding lug 54 in place, lug 54 being of substantially thesame construction 'as lug 42.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, a modified electrical connectoris indicated generally by reference numeral 60 and may also comprise abattery terminal connector. This connector includes a body means 62having "a hollow cylindrical portion 64 for receiving an electricalcable or the like. The body means also includes a pair of spaced legportions 66 and 68 having aligned holes 70 and 72 formed therethroughfor receiving a suitable nut and bolt assembly for clamping theconnector on a battery terminal.

A tapered bore 75 is formed between spaced legs 66 and 68 for receivinga conventional battery terminal.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a further modified form of electrical connectoraccording to the present invention is illustrated. The electricalconnector is indicated generally by reference numeral and includes abody means including a flat end portion 82 having a hole 84 formedtherethrough. The opposite end portion 86 of the body means is ofgenerally cylindrical configuration and is hollow for receiving a cableor the like, the bared end of the cable being crimped in position withinsuch hollow end portion of the body means.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a still further modified form ofelectrical connector is illustrated. The connector is indicatedgenerally by reference numeral 90 and includes a three-part body means,the body means including a bolt 92 having an enlarged hex head 94 at oneend thereof and having a longitudinally extending slot 96 formedtherein. The external portion of the lower part of the bolt is providedwith threads 98.

The body means includes an intermediate member 100 the main portion ofwhich is adapted to slide within the slot 96 formed in bolt 92. Member100 includes depending leg portions 102 and 104 which are spaced apartand which are adapted to be inserted through a threaded bore 106provided in a nut 108 and then turned upwardly as indicated in phantomlines in FIG. 5 so as to retain members 100 and 108 in assembledrelationship as seen in FIG 4. The threaded bore 106 is adapted to bethreaded on the external threads 98 provided on the bolt 92.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 5, the upper surface of member 100 isprovided with a central generally V-shaped groove 110. A pair of lugs112 extend outwardly in opposite directions from one end of member 100and a similar pair of lugs 114 extend outwardly in opposite ditions fromthe opposite end of member 100. The por- 1 of member 100 between lugs112 and 114 is adapted fit within the slot 96 provided in bolt member92, lugs l and 114 serving to retain member 100 in position and guideits movement in a vertical direction as seen in drawings. [t is apparentthat when the electrical connector is in the embled relationship shownin FIG. 4, rotation of nut t with respect to bolt 92 will cause member100 to be sed and lowered within the slot 96 in the bolt member ereby asuitable electrical member may be clamped be- :en the upper surface ofmember 100 and the underface of the hex head 94 of the bolt. The bodymeans of each of the electrical connectors described in connection withFIGS. 1 through 5 inclue is formed of a Zinc base alloy having aparticular mposition. The following three examples representcompositions table for use as the body means of an electrical conctoraccording to the present invention.

EXAMPLE I Percent uminum 3.9-4.3.

vpper .75-1.25. agnesium .03.06. )n Up to .075 maximum. :ad Up to .003maximum. \dmium Up to .003 maximum. n Up to .002 maximum. nc Balance.

EXAMPLE II Percent uminum 3.5-4.5.

)pper 2.5-3.5. agnesium .02-.10. 5n Up to .100 maximum. :ad Up to .007maximum. admium Up to .005 maximum. 11 Up to .005 maximum. nc Balance.

EXAMPLE III Percent luminum 3.9-4.3. opper Up to .10 maximum. Iagnesium0.3-0.6. on Up to .075 maximum. ead Up to .003 maximum. admium Up to.003 maximum. in Up to .002 maximum. inc Balance.

In each of the above examples, the percentages are by eight of thecomposition, and it will be noted that in lCh case the major portion ofthe composition comprises nc which is the balance of the composition ineach of re three examples.

In carrying out the method of the present invention, ne of theaforementioned zinc base alloys is provided nd heated until it is in amolten state. The molten metal then either sandcast or die cast to formone or more )mponents of the electrical connector which includes bodymeans having means for securing an electrical rember thereto.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided new andnovelmethod of making an electrical conector body means having means forsecuring an elecfical connector member thereto and wherein the bodyleans is formed of a zinc base alloy which enables the onnector to bemanufactured at a lower cost with good lectrical conductivity, goodtensile strength, and good orrosion resistance characteristics.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changesthat fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form theirfunctional as wall as conjointly cooperative equivalents are thereforeintended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making an electrical connector comprising providing azinc base alloy consisting essentially of about 3.9 to 4.3% aluminum,about .75 to 1.25% copper, about .03 to .06% magnesium, up to about.075% iron, up to about .003% lead, up to about 003% cadmium, up toabout .002% tin, the balance being Zinc, all of said percentages beingby weight of the composition, heating said alloy until it is in a moltencondition, and then casting said molten alloy to form an electricalconnector including a body means having means for securing an electricalmember thereto.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said casting step is asandcasting procedure.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said casting step is a diecasting procedure.

4. The method of making an electrical connector comprising providing azinc base alloy consisting essentially of about 3.5 to 4.5% aluminum,about 2.5 to 3.5% copper, about .02 to .10% magnesium, up to about .100%iron, up to about .007% lead, up to about .005% cadmium, up to about.005% tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition, heating said alloy until it is in a moltencondition, and then casting said molten alloy to form an electricalconnector including a body means having means for securing an electricalmember thereto.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein said casting step is asandcasting procedure.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein said casting step is a diecasting procedure.

7. The method of making an electrical connector comprising providing azinc base alloy consisting essentially of about 3.9 to 4.3% aluminum, upto about .10% copper, 0.3 to 0.6% magnesium, up to about .075% iron, upto about .003% lead, up to about 003% cadmium, up to about .002% tin,the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of thecomposition, heating said alloy until it is in a molten condition, andthen casting said molten alloy to form an electrical connector includinga body means having means for securing an electrical member thereto.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein said casting step is asandcasting procedure.

9. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein said casting step is a diecasting procedure.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1935 Australia.

OTHER REFERENCES J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner I. E. ROETHEL,Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 164-113; 339278

